More than 90% of the world's population is exposed to air pollutant concentrations exceeding World Health Organisation guideline levels, while globally four-and-a-half million people died prematurely from particle and ozone pollution in 2015. While air pollution is a problem in both rural and urban areas, particular types of pollutants tend to be more concentrated in cities. And as more and more of the population shifts to living in cities, an ever greater proportion of people are living closer to pollution sources.
Why don’t we understand air pollution better? And how have we allowed it to build to the crisis we have today?
To answer these questions, Andrew Carter is joined by Gary Fuller who is Senior Lecturer in Air Pollution Measurement at Kings College London, a leader of the London Air Quality Network and the author of a brilliant, if somewhat scary, book entitled The Invisible Killer: The Rising Global Threat of Air Pollution - and How We Can Fight Back
Dr. Fuller challenges common misconceptions around what creates air pollution and how it's measured and argues that to change the future of our planet and collective global health, both city-level and national government action are essential.
This episode is part of the Centre for Cities City Talks series. Please rate, review and share the episode if you enjoyed it.
City Talks: cities vs regions
City Talks: What is the Northern Powerhouse?
City Talks: Tony Travers on the history of London's boroughs
City Talks: Simon Parker on shifting power to cities and local areas
City Talks: the open data revolution?
City Talks: Is urban inequality inevitable?
City Horizons: what does the future hold for China’s cities?
City Talks: is city success dependent on immigration?
City Talks: the future of urban jobs
City Talks: trains, planes and economic growth?
City Talks: Housing - crisis or continuity?
City talks: can we rebalance the economy?
Professor Edward Glaeser on 'comeback cities'
The state of our smart cities
City Talks: can cities help balance the nation's books?
What do the General Election manifestos hold in store for cities?
City Talks: Mayors – for and against
Professor Nicholas Crafts on 'A Century of Cities'
City Talks: The Politics of Cities
The Metropolitan Century with the OECD
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
City Manager Unfiltered
Potencial Americano
The ASIC Podcast
The Chris Plante Show
Red Eye Radio